FootballTechniqueSchool

Developing individual technique, skill & tactical awareness

THE FTS TRAINERS

It is important to be involved with trainers (or coaches) that have the passion, expertise and experience to develop young players. Each FTS Skill Development Head Trainer has a minimum AFC-B Coaching Licence and 5 years talented player developmental experience.

Michael McBride

Michael's particular area of expertise involves developing the technical abilities of young footballers. He has the AFC-B Coaching Licence, Sports Coaching Degree and Masters in Sport Management. Michael has been an FFV State Head Coach, State Futsal Coach and has also recently been Head Coach FFV Academy, V-Elite Coach, VCL and Caulfield Grammar School Boys Head Coach. Michael is currently the Assistant Coach of the National Training Centre (NTC).

Jasper Kristensen

Jasper has been a youth developmental coach for 14 years. He has coached at the highest youth level in Denmark. He has the AFC-B Coaching Licence. In recent times, Jasper has been FFV Academy and VCL Head Coach, along with Caulfield Grammar School Boys Head Coach and FFV Boys Country State Team Head Coach.

The FTS Developmental Philosophy

You often hear stories about certain events or circumstances that change a person's life, well for me it was a visit to Clairefontaine (French National Training Centre) in 2006. As well as personal interviews with Aime Jacquet and other French youth technical coaches, I was guided through the age specific developmental training curriculum. The message was very simple:

"an individual players technique (or technical ability) is the most important developmental element".

Gerard Houllier took it one step further when he suggested that if a player at 16 years of age didn't have a satisfactory technique, there was no way of ever catching up.

In recent years, my research and knowledge of the Dutch and Spanish youth developmental approaches has further helped me to understand the importance of providing a specific environment conducive to advancing a youth footballers technical ability.